Jo Cox Killing Led To MPs Security Costs Soaring To Over £150,000 A Month

Sixty Six MP's given 'enhanced' security packages after killing.

MPs’ security spending soared after Jo Cox’s killing with over £150,000 a month being spent on their protection since June.

Figures released to MailOnline show that £637,791.63 was spent through the security assistance budget of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) since June 16 - the day the MP was killed outside her constituency surgery in Birstall, near Leeds.

The figure was up to date as of October 26.

Yui Mok/PA Wire
More than £600,000 was spent on MP's security in the wake of Jo Cox's killing

Thomas Mair, 53, is accused of repeatedly shooting and stabbing the 41-year-old Remain campaigner a week before the EU referendum vote and is currently on trial for her murder.

Separate statistics released by Ipsa show that the security figure is a huge increase on the £160,000 spent on security for MPs in the 2015-16 financial year. That figure was more than double the £77,000 spent the previous year.

According to Ipsa, 66 MPs were granted “enhanced” security packages after Cox’s death, indicating that police may consider they are at a greater risk.

The expenses watchdog has also approved 124 applications for “lone worker devices”, which can connect users to the authorities, for MPs and staff since Cox’s death.

Meanwhile, a court was told Thursday that Mair waved his knife and told shocked onlookers they had “better move back” as he killed Cox.

After Cox was set upon her assistant stepped in and hit Mair with her handbag, while 78-year-old Bernard Carter-Kenny desperately tried to intervene but was stabbed too, the Old Bailey heard.